A wide variety of adjustable discharge apparatus are currently available in the industry. For example, FIG. 1 discloses a prior art adjustable discharge apparatus for spreading mulch. Mulch can comprise an extensive array of vegetative material such as hay, straw, excelsior or other wood product or other vegetative material. Applying mulch to a landscape terrain may be desirable to promote seedling growth by reducing erosion due to wind and/or rain or discouraging seed consumption by birds and other pests. Applying mulch in a dense layer can reduce the growth of weeds and other unwanted vegetation and can also trap moisture for existing plants.
A wide variety of mechanical mulch spreaders are known for alleviating the labor-intensive task of spreading mulch. One conventional mulch spreader 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1 (i.e., partially by broken lines) and can include a skid 112 to facilitate movement, for example, by a skid steer or the like. The mulch spreader 100 includes a motor 104 for driving a blower 102 that forces mulch through a discharge tube 108 to an adjustable discharge apparatus 120.
The conventional adjustable discharge apparatus 120 includes a first conduit apparatus 122 with a mounting collar 126 including a bearing mount for rotatable mounting of the adjustable discharge apparatus 120 to the discharge tube 108 of the mulch spreader 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting collar 126 includes a first circumferential member 130 with a second circumferential member 132 that is offset to define a circumferential bearing groove 128. Mounting structures 134 are provided to fix the position of the second circumferential member 132 with respect to the first circumferential member 130 without interfering with the bearing mount assembly 110 traveling in the bearing groove 128 as the first adjustable discharge apparatus 120 is rotated relative to the discharge tube 108.
The adjustable discharge apparatus 120 further includes a handle 144 pivotally attached at a pivot location 145 of the first conduit section 122 and to a conduit 142 of a second conduit apparatus 140 with a handle bracket 146. The second conduit apparatus 140 is attached to the first conduit apparatus 122 with a flexible conduit 136.
In use, bales of mulch can be loaded at a bulk material inlet 106. The mulch spreader then breaks up the mulch into particulate matter. The bulk material is thereafter entrained in air and forced up through the discharge tube 108 to the adjustable discharge apparatus 120. The operator may adjust the angular position of the mulch discharge stream by rotating the first conduit apparatus 122 relative to the discharge tube 108. The elevational trajectory of the mulch discharge stream can also be altered by pivoting the handle 144 about the pivot location 145.
While the conventional mulch spreader illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is useful for its intended purpose, there is a continuing demand for alternative adjustable discharge apparatus.